Engaging with our stakeholders

It is important for us as a business to ensure we work operate with high ethical standards and do this by engaging this our stakeholders openly.

We believe that high standards of ethical conduct provide a market differentiator and those organisations with the highest ethical standards will have the most positive impact on the lives of those around them and, ultimately, will be the most successful.

how we engage

Our stakeholders and why we engage

Examples of how we engage

CUSTOMERS

...can be sure that they are working with a good company, which has high ethical standards and makes a positive impact on society, not just as a result of the service it offers, but also because of the way it behaves.

They can be confident that we will always operate to the highest standards and will not compromise their reputation as a result of unethical conduct. They will know that we have systems and processes in place to ensure that employees operate to the highest ethical standards.

We continue to invest in our rigorous approach to strategic account and customer management. We utilise a net promoter score model to measure and respond to customer satisfaction ratings and we continue to invest in strategic account managers to ensure that we anticipate and meet our customers’ needs.

PARTNERS AND SUPPLIERS

...can be confident that any business venture entered into with G4S will be carried out on the basis of strong ethics and that any form of unethical behaviour will not be tolerated.

They will be sure that G4S employees will not compromise the reputation of a supplier or partner as a result of unethical conduct, and they will be clear about our expectations of them as a partner or supplier to the group and our zero tolerance policy in terms of unethical transactions or behaviour.

Our ethical and sustainability standards have been integrated into our key business processes, including our supplier code of conduct which was refreshed in 2015.

EMPLOYEES
…can be sure that they are working with a good company and be clear about the expectations that the group has of them in terms of behaving ethically and representing the G4S brand in an appropriate way.

Our employees have an important role to play in helping to maintain a healthy, respectful and productive working environment. They will feel able to report any concerns about unethical behaviour within the group and can be confident that their concerns will be investigated and acted upon in confidence.

Employees will also have the confidence to speak out if they witness behaviour that is not in line with the company’s values or that puts colleagues or others at risk of harm. They will know that their concerns will be taken seriously and that they will be treated fairly for reporting any such conduct.

In 2017, we will be completing our fifth global employee engagement survey.

Our most recent global employee engagement survey took place in 2015 and had over 460,000 responses. During 2016 have been implementing action plans in response to our employees’ feedback.

Since 2008, we have had an ethical employment partnership with UNI, a global union federation. This agreement provides a framework for businesses and unions to engage locally for the purposes of union recognition and collective bargaining.

In 2015, we launched Speak Out, a new and enhanced global whistleblowing hotline and case management system.

Investors and SRI Analysts

...can be confident that they have invested in a company that has high ethical standards which provide an important differentiator for the Group and help to build a sustainable reputation, business performance and market/share price value.

We have strong relationships with the general investor community and investment analysts.

...can be sure that G4S will behave ethically in all of its dealings with stakeholders in the community, such as employees, customers, partners and governments. They can be sure that we will have a positive impact on the local community and bring shared value to the members of that society.

We make an important contribution to the communities in which we live and work through our payment of taxes and employment of 585,000 people.

Where particular concerns or complaints are made, we will seek to engage with relevant bodies, and stakeholders can be sure that their concerns will be taken seriously and dealt with appropriately at the right level of the organisation, or if necessary, by independent experts.

We work with industry bodies to establish strong benchmarks wherever we operate and play a pivotal role in raising standards in the wider industry and society as a whole.

Many G4S managers and employees play an active role in industry bodies and associations around the world, such as the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) or UN Global Compact.

MULTILATERAL ORGANISATIONS
AND GOVERNMENTS

...can be confident that we will support regulation that is designed to improve standards. It is important to ensure that legislative developments to not create unfair competitive environments or unnecessary burdens on business activities. In addition to this, governments are also some of the Group’s largest customers and we strive to maintain good customer relationships.

As a leading global business, G4S participates in consultations regarding industry-specific issues and broader legislative programmes.

We also host or participate in events at which we may demonstrate our expertise on security-related issues.

INDEPENDENT EXPERTS

Where criticisms or complaints are made, stakeholders can be sure that they will be taken seriously and dealt with appropriately at the right level of the organisation or by independent experts if necessary.

We work with independent experts on specific topics to help the group ensure that its policies and practices are aligned with best practice.

G4S has engaged with and sought the expertise of recognised specialists on a number of specific issues.

For example, in 2015 G4S commissioned an independent expert on offender management and vulnerable children to review a G4S managed secure training centre in the UK, and the Ethics Steering Group selected Navex Global, an independent provider of whistleblowing hotline and case management expertise to support the development and implementation of Speak Out, the new global whistleblowing service.

SRI Enagagement

An important part of our stakeholder enagagment is to ensure we have open dialogue with socially responsible investment investors and analysts.

HErmes investment management

"We have seen positive changes at G4S. An important catalyst for this change was the appointment of its new CEO. The new CEO has recognised the need for cultural transformation through the consolidation of the company’s business structure."